I’m sorry, but I have to be the one to say it. Certain students who take regular classes should not be able to brag about their good grades! Of course, that’s great that they have good grades, but does it really matter if they aren’t challenging themselves? The answer is NO!
Some students who are qualified to take advanced classes but choose to take regular classes bring down AP/honors students once they find out they have better grades. For example, I have a friend named Diamond who, at the time, was taking honors classes while her friend, Amanda, was in regular classes (because she wanted an easier workload). After Diamond started talking about having a B in one of her classes, Amanda started to ridicule her for her B, while uplifting herself since she had straight A’s.
Diamond instantly got upset, because she felt Amanda had no right to bring her down, considering Diamond was working way harder in her AP classes than Amanda was in her regular classes. Although it was good that Amanda had straight A’s, I don’t feel she had the right to brag or bring down Diamond, considering she decided not to take a more challenging class and wasn’t working as hard as Diamond and every other student who takes AP/honors classes.
Students who take regular classes but are qualified to take AP/honors classes just don’t want to challenge themselves, which I see as being lazy. They aren’t trying as hard as they can, so they have no right to brag about getting better grades than AP/honors students, especially since AP/honors students tend to work at a faster pace and have harder work. To me, it’s like comparing Ariana Grande to Selena Gomez. They’re both great, but we all know who’s the more successful, most followed pop star.
For some students, I know they have certain circumstances so, of course, when they get good grades in regular classes, they should feel free to brag because they are working hard against specific adversities or obstacles. And other students who are genuinely working their hardest in their regular classes, even if they are not working against obstacles, they, too, should feel accomplished. Let me make that clear. Lots of students earn good grades and should be proud of that.
On the other hand, students who have the ability or the potential to take AP/honors classes, but don’t, should most definitely not be bragging to an AP/honors student about earning good grades in a regular class. And even more, they should not tear others down because they have “better” grades. Once they see they can get A’s in regular classes, why don’t they think “Maybe I should challenge myself?”
Until then, I don’t want to hear another student who is in regular classes bragging about their grades until they start applying themselves.
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.